Search

This work was designed to assess the cost-effectiveness of front-line tislelizumab plus chemotherapy (TIS+Chemo) in advanced gastric cancer (GC) or gastroesophageal junction cancer (GEJC) with positive expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) from the perspective of Chinese healthcare system. A 10-year partitioned survival model was undertaken utilizing clinical data from RATIONALE 305. Costs and utilities were both discounted at an annual rate of 5%. The primary outcome was incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and calculated as the cost per quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). The willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold was set as $18,625/QALY. Only direct medical costs were considered. Sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the model. In the base-case analysis, the incremental cost and effectiveness associated with TIS+Chemo vs Chemo was 7,361 and 0.38 QALYs, respectively, leading to an ICER of 19,371/QALY. At the WTP threshold of $18,625/QALY, the TIS+Chemo was not a cost-effective first-line treatment option. The model outcomes were robust. TIS+Chemo did not provide a cost-effective approach for PD-L1 positive advanced GC/GEJC in China setting. However, TIS+Chemo might be cost-effective in provinces with higher WTP threshold. RATIONALE 305, , identifier is NCT03777657. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mandating domestic waste separation is essential for solving the urban waste crisis, but it remains unclear what kind of mandatory policy in detail is more effective or counterproductive. This current study described the mandatory policy of waste separation as a configuration of five attributes, i.e. economic punishment, social punishment, supervision, charges, and community governance. Based on data mining and text analysis of the messages from Sina Weibo, the concurrent effects of those attributes were analysed by a qualitative comparative analysis from 44 pilot cities in China. The study found three configurations of high willingness by residents to separate waste, which all require different mandatory policy attributes working together. Specifically, H1a is the combination of supervision, community governance, and economic punishment; and H1b is a combination of social punishment, community governance, and economic punishment. In configuration H2, supervision and community governance are core conditions, while charges and economic punishment are not necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of nemourid stonefly, Amphinemura bicoloratasp. n. and A. yadongasp. n., are described from Xizang Autonomous Region of south-western China. The relationships between the new species and similar species in the genus are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stavsolus shihu sp. n., a new species of stonefly family Perlodidae is described from the Jilin Province of China, illustrated and compared with the related taxa. Habitat data of the new species are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International student mobility, taking place within the framework of globalisation, internationalisation and transnationalism, has attained much attention. This paper adopts the Intellectual Migration framework to further our understanding of mobility regarding international higher education. It simultaneously studies China-born students in both China and North America to empirically examine the propensity for student mobility across national borders and the determining factors behind the realisation of such mobility under the same set of geopolitical and international circumstances. The analysis is based on a set of cross-sectional surveys conducted in the 2017–2019 period that yields over 1600 data points. We compare the 'who', 'why' and 'where' aspects of migration between domestic students in China and Chinese international students in North America to delineate the factors underlying international student mobility. By highlighting aspirations and capabilities on mobility outcomes, this paper contributes to differentiating mobility between undergraduate and graduate students and the implications for social inequality. Our analysis also reveals the unequal spatial distributions of educational resources between intellectual gateways and peripheries, and by extension between the Global North and the Global South. The findings of this paper have policy implications on improving the quality, accessibility, and equity of higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylloporia, a wood-inhabiting fungal genus, has been used as an anti-inflammatory food taken in the form of tea in Shandong Province, China. The species used in folklore have been clarified as Phylloporia fontanesiae and P. lonicerae. To promote the utilization of Phylloporia and its benefit to human health, sources, medicinal metabolites and functions, safety, and commercial potentials are summarized in this review. The fruiting bodies are the most acceptable sources of Phylloporia, but their shortage makes fermented mycelia a good alternative. Polysaccharides, sterols, acidic components, styryl compounds and polychlorinated compounds are the most well-studied medicinal metabolites extracted from Phylloporia. The main medicinal functions revealed from Phylloporia include antitumor, immunomodulation, antioxidant, neuroprotection, prevention of diabetes and its complications, and antimicrobial activity. The safety of Phylloporia has been demonstrated by experimenting for acute and subchronic oral toxicity of fermented mycelia on animals. A large number of patents even if some are being examined have indicated the commercial potentials of Phylloporia. In the future, increased efforts regarding species identification, artificial cultivation and multi-omics data will contribute to the deeper exploration of the medicinal potential of Phylloporia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A type of short-pitch rail corrugation on tracks with resilient fasteners called 'Vanguard' fasteners is widely found on different metro lines in China. Field measurements and numerical calculations are used to investigate the cause of the corrugation formation. The corrugation with wavelengths of 30–60 mm occurs on both the curved and straight tracks through field measurements. Corrugation passing frequencies are in the range of 340–700 Hz. The frequencies of pinned-pinned resonance, the P2 resonance and the wheelset torsional resonance are far away from the corrugation passing frequencies. The investigated results show the vertical dynamic characteristic of the track is the main factor for occurrence of the short-pitch rail corrugation. The short-pitch rail corrugation arises by a wavelength-fixing mechanism of rail vertical bouncing on the resilient fasteners. The corrugation wavelength mainly is related to the vertical stiffness of the rail fasteners. Rail corrugation with wavelengths of 25–63 mm easily occurs on tracks with resilient fasteners with the vertical stiffness of less than 20 MN/m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qinling Orogenic Belt was formed by multi-stage convergence and subsequent collision between the North China Block and South China Block during the Palaeozoic to Late Triassic. Following the collision between the South Qinling Belt and the South China Block in the Late Triassic, the whole Qinling Orogenic Belt evolved into an intracontinental orogeny. However, the exact termination time of the Late Mesozoic intracontinental contractional deformation and the tectonic transformation from compression to extension remains unclear. The extensional shear zone developed in the West Qinling Orogenic Belt provides a crucial clue to revealing the tectonic transformation and uplift and exhumation of the orogenic belt. This study focuses on kinematics, deformation temperature, and geochronology of the shear zone in the West Qinling Orogenic Belt through detailed field structural analysis and laboratory analysis. The Taibai shear zone (TBSZ), located in the West Qinling Orogenic Belt, cuts across the Qinling Orogenic Belt along the NE–NEE direction and separates the Taibai pluton in the east from the Baoji pluton in the west. The NE–NEE-striking TBSZ is an extensional shear zone showing a top-to-the-NW sinistral shear sense. The TBSZ was formed under the high greenschist–low amphibolite facies conditions (300–550°C) in the middle-upper crust level (8–15 km). Zircon U–Pb dating and biotite and muscovite 40Ar/39Ar dating indicate that the TBSZ occurred at 120–113 Ma. The extensional TBSZ and normal faults on its hanging wall indicate the tectonic transformation and the extensional collapse of the Mesozoic intracontinental orogenic belt during the late Early Cretaceous. The Cretaceous extensional collapse of the Qinling Orogenic Belt also led to the rapid uplift and exhumation of the Taibai pluton and the North Qinling Belt in the east. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop an alarm device for the mechanical compression device displacement (MCD), and further evaluate its effectiveness in clinical use. The alarm device is mainly composed of buzzer, indicator light, magnetic sheet. This is a prospective randomized and controlled study. Four hundred patients who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria were included and randomly assigned to two groups (MCD group vs alarm + MCD group). The primary outcome measures were the sensitivity and specificity of the alarm device to detect MCD displacement, time to hemostasis (TTH), time to ambulation (TTA), time to hospital discharge (TTHD), hospital costs (HC), complication rates, and patient satisfaction. The sensitivity and specificity of the alarm device in detecting MCD displacement were 94.44% and 88.46%, respectively. The study group achieved shorter TTH (p =.034), shorter TTA (p =.021), lower complication rates (p =.025), and better patients' satisfaction (p <.001) compared to the control group. However, no significant difference was observed in TTHD (p =.361) and HC (p =.583). The alarm device is highly sensitive in detecting MCD displacement, while achieving better clinical outcomes compared with artificial monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore bilateral interactions of social and economic pillars of sustainability in China to reveal if they are synergistic or trade-off. To this end, this research uses the bootstrap method for panel data and an Ordinary Quantile Regression model to estimate the effects of social capital proxies including political identity, family relationship network and trust on economic condition proxy, household income, in different quantiles of Chinese households. This study uses data based on microsurvey data from the China Family Tracking Survey (CFPS) conducted by the China Social Science Research Center of Peking University in 2014, 2016 and 2018. The results show that social capital positively affects economic status implying the synergistic impact of social development on economic pillars of sustainable development. Moreover, further examination reveals that the resulted improvement in economic status is distributed equally among different quantiles of Chinese households. This result implies that the reflective effect of economic development on social pillar is synergistic. Overall, these findings accept the synergistic interactions between social and economic pillars of sustainability which is consistent with the integrated sustainability perspective. These findings suggest that policymakers in both the social and economic sectors to consider the consequences of their own plans and strategies for the other sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultra-short-term forecasting of the wind speed in large-scale wind plants not only helps to monitor system operation but also improves the acceptance rate for the power system. The present study establishes a single unit and a regional wind speed forecasting models and achieves the fast prediction of the wind speed in the large-scale wind plant. On the basis, by combining the variational mode decomposition (VMD) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model, an improved VMD-ARIMA model for wind speed forecasting of the single unit is proposed, and the cross-correlation coefficient is presented to determine the number of modes in VMD. Moreover, according to the similarity of wind speed series of different units, the wind plant is divided into several sub-regions based on the correlation of different units. Finally, by calculating the proportion coefficient between the key unit and the non-key one, the wind speed of the whole wind plant is forecasted fast. To assess the performance of the proposed model, it is compared with some forecasting model. Results validated by the actual data sets for Jishanliang wind plant, Shaanxi province, China, show higher efficiency and better reliability of the proposed model in comparison with other forecasting methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance resilience for adapting to recent severe issues such as flooding and water shortage, Sponge City (SPC) is being delivered by using Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) across China. Considering a sustainable implementation, an understanding of and effective management for the environment-related underlying dynamics of the adaptability of SPC PPPs are prerequisite. Therefore, we examined a conceptual model integrated with four external environment dimensions, which is useful for identifying externally environmental effects on the project's adaptability. By utilizing the structural equation modeling techniques, the hypothesized relationships illustrated in the conceptual model were tested and verified. Empirical evidence indicates that the Political Environment has the highest impact followed by the Social, Economic and Natural Environments. Implications generated from the SEM are then discussed for future improvements. This study provides governments with an insight into assessing external environment effects that are significant for (1) improving the adaptability of their projects and then (2) enabling sustainability for infrastructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the rapid increasing of the number of the satellites, the number of facilities of the satellite ground stations is becoming insufficient and the conflicts of serving satellite data missions exist. To make full use of the facilities of the China Remote Sensing Satellite Ground Station (RSGS), scheduling optimization of these facilities was studied in this paper, which was not well-solved by the original method in the operation system of RSGS. The problem is formulated as a continuous time-based mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model. A decomposition optimization algorithm is proposed to solve the large-scale problem, which is difficult to solve using traditional methods. In the first step, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to optimize the multi-ground station relay tasks, and the multi-ground station optimization problem is transformed into several single ground station optimization problems. Next, in two additional steps, optimization of the facilities at a single ground station is performed to further reduce the size of the model. The proposed method has been applied to operations systems of RSGS, and the approach presented in this article has demonstrated stable performance and sufficient efficiency online, resulting in the automation of facility scheduling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the efficacy and safety of hyperthermic intrathoracic/intraperitoneal chemotherapy versus conventional intrapleural/intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the treatment of malignant pleural or peritoneal effusion. A randomized clinical trial was carried out in 8 cancer centers across China. Patients with malignant pleural or peritoneal effusion were randomly assigned to the study group or control group. Patients in the study group were treated with cisplatin-based hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITHOC) or hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), while the control group was treated with conventional intrapleural or intraperitoneal chemotherapy using same chemotherapeutic regime as the study group. The objective response rate (ORR) was analyzed as primary outcome. Quality-of-life (QOL) score was recorded as secondary outcome using the questionnaire 30 (QLQ-C30) of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). The efficacy and safety of the two treatments were compared. Total 135 patients were recruited and randomized in this study, with 67 patients in the study group and 68 patients in the control group. The ORR in the study group (80.70%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (31.03%, p < 0.001). However, neither changes of QOL scores, nor incidence rates of adverse events were significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.076 and 0.197, respectively). Efficacy of HITHOC or HIPEC is superior to that of conventional modality for the treatment of malignant effusion with comparable side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the study were to assess the contribution of resilience, coping style, and COVID-19 stress on the quality of life (QOL) in frontline health care workers (HCWs). The study was a cross-sectional surveyperformed among 309 HCWs in a tertiaryhospital during the outbreak of COVID-19 in China. Data were collected through an anonymous, self-rated questionnaire, including demographic data, a 10-item COVID-19 stress questionnaire, Generic QOL Inventory-74, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression was used to analyse the relationship between the study variables and the QOL. Among the 309 participants, resilience and active coping were positively correlated with the QOL (P<0.001), whereas, working in confirmed case wards, COVID-19 stress, and passive coping were negatively correlated with the QOL (P<0.001). Resilience and the active coping were negatively correlated with COVID-19 stress (P<0.001). Resilience, coping style,and COVID-19 stressaccounted for 32%, 13%, and 8% of the variance in predicting the Global QOL, respectively. In conclusion, working in confirmed COVID-19 case wards and COVID-19 stress impaired the QOL in HCWs. Psychological intervention to improve the resilience and coping style, and reduce COVID-19 stress are important in improving the QOL and mental health of HCWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our study, patients who had a second delivery were categorised into the following 4 groups. Pelvic floor ultrasound data were compared during the 6th week after the second delivery. The incidence of cystoceles was highest in group A and lowest in group D. In addition, groups A and B had a higher rate of rectoceles or perineum descent. Similarly, the areas of the levator hiatus were higher in Groups A and B during Valsalva manoeuvres. The area of the levator hiatus from the resting state to the Valsalva manoeuvre effect had the greatest change in Group A. A comparison of the PR thickening rates among the four groups did not reveal significant differences. All second delivery methods can cause varying degrees of pelvic organ prolapse and decreased pelvic floor function; however, vaginal delivery as the second delivery mode may have a more significant effect in Chinese women. What is already known on this subject? Different modes of delivery have significantly different effects on female pelvic floor function. Pregnancy beyond 35 weeks of gestation has an effect on female pelvic floor function, irrespective of the mode of delivery. What do the results of this study add? This study analysed the impact of different delivery modes on Chinese female pelvic floor function. Parous women who underwent different modes of second delivery all demonstrated different degrees of pelvic organ prolapse, as well as pelvic floor function decline. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Our study will provide basic research of Chinese female pelvic floor function after a second delivery, which will be of clinical significance around the world, as well as in China. China will keep promoting further delivery as the aging population is increasing. If the developing countries want to promote the second delivery around the women, they have basic research and data to instruct the females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between lung cancer and trace element levels, such as serum copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) levels and the Cu:Zn ratio, vary among different demographic groups; however, it is unknown whether variations in serum Cu and Zn levels and Cu:Zn ratios are related to the prediction and prognosis of lung cancer. We aimed to clarify this relationship in the Han Chinese population of Northeast China. We recruited 146 patients with lung cancer and 146 age- and resident area-matched cancer-free controls. Increased serum Cu and Zn levels and the Cu:Zn ratio were positively associated with lung cancer (OR: 72.243, 95% CI 24.159–216.030; OR: 3.513, 95% CI, 1.476–8.358, and; OR: 58.582, 95% CI, 20.023–171.395, respectively). The critical serum Cu level for the prediction of lung cancer was 1.37 mg/L (sensitivity, 77.4%; specificity, 84.9%), while the critical Cu:Zn ratio was 1.45 (sensitivity, 69.9; specificity, 88.4%). Patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) had higher serum Cu levels and a higher Cu:Zn ratio than patients with stage I, II, or III NSCLC. The serum Cu level and the Cu:Zn ratio are effective predictive indicators of lung cancer and may help evaluate the prognosis of patients with NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of accounting firms joining global accounting firm networks and associations (AF N&As) on audit quality and audit pricing in China. We find that after their accounting firms join global AF N&As, client firms' accrual-based earnings management is reduced. However, we find no evidence that audit fees are significantly affected. Cross-sectional analysis suggests that improvements in audit quality resulting from accounting firms joining global AF N&As are more pronounced when auditors have less audit experience, clients have more subsidiaries or auditor tenure is shorter. Additional tests suggest that joining AF N&As reduces the likelihood of accounting firms being dismissed by clients and increases the market share of the accounting firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xanthabraxas hemionata (Guenée, 1858) is a medium-sized and slender-bodied forest pest in China. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of X. hemionata. This mitogenome was 15,309 bp long and encoded 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs). The gene order was conserved and identical to that of most other previously sequenced Geometridae species. Most of the PCGs of X. hemionata, except for cox1, have the conventional ATN start codon. Except for four genes (cox1, cox2, nad5, and nad4) that end with the incomplete stop codon T−, all other PCGs terminated with the stop codon TAA. Phylogenetic analysis positioned X. hemionata in a well-supported clade with the other Ennominae species. The relationships (Ennominae + (Sterrhinae + Larentiinae)) were supported by Geometridae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper describes two new Chinese species of maricolan planarians through an integrated approach, including morphological, histological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. One new species forms the third species of the genus Pacifides and represents the first record of this genus from the Western Pacific. Further we document a third, new species of the genus Paucumara that is fully restricted to freshwater habitats, as it occurs on the shores of the Jialing River in Chongqing municipality far into the interior of China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses enabled us to determine, for the first time, the position of the genus Pacifides in the phylogenetic tree of the marine triclads. We also provide information on the feeding and reproduction of the new species of Pacifides. The paper concludes with two speculative scenarios on the evolutionary history that may have led to the present-day far inland occurrence and freshwater ecology of the new species of Paucumara; one scenario involves tectonic uplift-driven speciation and niche evolution, while the other invokes passive upstream dispersal via the Yangtze River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'global race for talent' has drawn immense attention from academics, policy-makers and the media. China is on both sides of the race. On the one hand, rapid economic growth has created the opportunity for many affluent and middle-class families to send their children abroad for higher education while stimulating intense internal migration for education and/or career opportunities. On the other hand, to affirm its (re-)emergence as an economic giant, China has begun recruiting talent from abroad, gradually forsaking its traditional role as a brain-drain country to become an exemplar of brain circulation. This paper elaborates an 'intellectual migration' conceptual framework that asserts both higher-education and highly skilled migration is a dynamic process that occurs along a spectrum where migration stages intersect with life transitions. Arguing that intellectual migration should be analysed as a continuum, we provide evidence from our own empirical work and the literature to ascertain its relevancy and applicability to China at this juncture and suggest a more integrative approach to analysing the framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation of a large igneous province, an explosive magmatic event in earth, is intimately related to geodynamic processes. The Tarim large igneous province, a famous representative in China, contains A-type granites. However, the petrogenesis of the A-type granites is debated. Some researchers think that the A-type granites are developed through extensive fractionation of magma derived from partial melting of newly underplated or gabbroic rocks. Others insist that the A-type granites are developed through intensive fractional crystallization of plume-derived mafic magma. Here, we present zircon U–Pb ages and whole-rock geochemical and Sr–Nd isotopic data for the Kezilekezitage, Keziertuo, Tamu, and Halajun II intrusions in northwest Tarim to elucidate their petrogenesis and geodynamic implications. Zircon U–Pb dating yielded crystallization ages of the Kezilekezitage, Keziertuo, and Halajun II intrusions of 275.1 ± 3.1 Ma (MSWD = 1.14), 274.8 ± 1.8 (MSWD = 0.46) and 275.6 ± 0.7 (MSWD = 1.04), respectively. The whole-rock geochemistry of the four intrusions is characterized by REE and HFSE enrichment, Ba, Sr, P, Ti, and Eu depletion, εNd (t) values of – 1.2 to +0.3, two-stage Nd model ages (T2DM) of 1.14–1.02 Ga, and an A1-type granite affinity. Whole-rock zircon geothermometry indicates a high formation temperature of 721–924°C. It is concluded that these A-type granites were generated by partial melting of Neoproterozoic OIB-like rocks, coupled with extensive fractional crystallization and minor crustal contamination. The production of the A-type granites at ca. 275 Ma represented the termination and greatest degree of lithospheric thinning during large igneous province formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing database of the loading response of offshore pile foundations needs to be enriched, so that safety and economic considerations can be optimally balanced in design. This paper details a programme of field tests on an open-ended steel pile. The pile with a diameter of 2 m was driven to a depth of 72.8 m in a stratified soil site and then subjected to monotonic compressive, tensile and lateral loadings. Resting periods were allowed before each test to enable strength recovery, and a period of about one month was found to be sufficient (i.e., the axial bearing capacity increases from about 10 MN to 25 MN). The test results were interpreted in terms of the internal forces and displacements/deformations of the pile, and the more detailed pile-soil interactions (i.e., qs-s and p-y curves). It is found that, for cohesive soils, the unit shaft resistance qs remains constant through each soil layer regardless of the almost linearly varying undrained shear strength su obtained from CPTu tests, and the soil layer with overall higher su does not guarantee greater qs owing to different proportions of silty and clayey components. Upon reaching the ultimate uplift load, the shaft resistance within the cohesive soils shows a clear softening response. Extensive comparisons were made between these results and the predictions from existing design methods wherever applicable to discuss the accuracy of each. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Q method with a Hong Kong dataset, this paper identifies four types of expert advisors in a hybrid regime. These four types have shared and distinct preferences for managing tensions between scientific knowledge and value/interests, between scientific and layperson' knowledge, and the different preferences of policymakers, citizens, and experts. Their degrees of involvement in policymaking and varied strategies to influence policymaking reflect the features of the hybrid regime. The findings provide useful lessons for expert advisors to manage tensions between science and politics over contested issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regeneration plays an essential role in the restructuring of plant communities, with seedlings and sprouts representing two different regeneration strategies. As an important timber species, Cunninghamia lanceolata is widely distributed throughout southern and eastern China. However, the morphology and growth of its sprouts and seedlings under natural environments have not been examined in detail. Our study quantified the morphology and growth of Cunninghamia lanceolata during its early regeneration phase. We selected a secondary mixed coniferous forest in the Huangshan region of China as the research location, and examined sapling height, basal stem diameter, lateral branch length, as well as the relationships between main stem and lateral branch elongation, and between sapling basal stem diameter and height. The results showed that high light intensity promoted the extension growth of main stems and the elongation of lateral branches of seedlings. Meanwhile, sprouts generally had shorter height growth than seedlings with the same basal stem diameter, and the growth allocation of seedlings was generally more dependent on light intensity. Our findings suggest that the morphology and growth of C. lanceolata might vary depending on the interaction of regeneration mode (plants originating from sprouts or seedlings) and light intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder have a high risk of death in China. However, a lack of comprehensive molecular profiling in Chinese Han population hinders the development of targeted therapies for bladder cancer. In our present study, we collected fresh bladder tumors from low-grade (T1, N0, M0, G1) non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients (n = 16) and high-grade (T2-4, N0, M0, Gx) muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients (n = 16) with their paired normal bladder tissues, and subjected the total genomic DNAs to targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) for 94 cancer-associated genes. NGS results showed that 30.9% of detected genes (29/94) was mutated in 32 urothelial carcinoma bladder tissues. Furthermore, our results and ICGC database showed that FGFR3, KMT2D, TP53, KDM6A, and ARID1A were the most frequently mutated genes in UC patients. Of note, NMIBC and MIBC displayed distinguishable genomic alterations. FGFR3, KMT2D, AKT1, ARID1A, and STAG2 were the most frequently mutated genes in NMIBC patients, whereas mutations of TP53, CREBBP, FGFR3, KDM6A, KMT2D, and ARID1A were frequently detected in MIBC. Intriguingly, gene ontology and clustering analysis revealed that these frequently mutated genes were highly enriched in signaling pathways responsible for cancer development. Taken together, the mutation frequency of genes associated with UC development in NMIBC and MIBC was screened out in Chinese Han population and elucidation of the related mechanisms provides theoretical basis and technical support for the development of early diagnosis and therapeutic strategies in UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new prenylated coumarin (1) and a new anthranilamide derivative (2) were isolated from the aerial parts of Evodia lepta. Compound 2 represents the first anthranilamide derivative from the Evodia genus. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis (MS, UV, IR, and NMR). Compound 1 exhibited certain inhibition on nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW264.7 macrophages with an IC50 value of 37.96 ± 1.7 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new C19-diterpenoid alkaloid named hemsleyaline (1), along with fourteen known alkaloids (2-15), were isolated from the roots of Aconitum hemsleyanum Pritz. (Ranunculaceae), a herbal medicine in southwest China. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses. Compound 1 showed mild cholinesterase inhibitory effect with IC50 value of 471 ± 9 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South China presents an excellent opportunity to build a phylogeographic paradigm for complex geological history, including mountain lifting, climate change, and river capture/reversal events. The phylogeography of cyprinids, particularly Opsariichthys hainanensis, an endemic species restricted to South China, was examined to explore the relationship between the populations in Red River, Hainan Island and its adjacent mainland China. A total of 37 haplotypes were genotyped for the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene in 115 specimens from 11 river systems. Relatively high levels of haplotype diversity (h = 0.946) and low levels of nucleotide diversity (π = 0.014) were detected in O. hainanensis. Four major phylogenetic haplotype groups revealed a relationship between phylogeny and geography. Our results found that (i) the ancestral populations of O. hainanensis were distributed south of the Wuzhishan and Yinggeling mountains, including the Changhua River on Hainan Island, and then spread to the surrounding areas, (ii) the admixtures within lineages occurred between the Red River in North Vietnam and the Changhua River in western Hainan Island and (iii) indicated that the exposure of straits and shelves under water retreat, provides opportunities for population dispersion during glaciations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop the Chinese version of Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) and examine its psychometric properties, we investigated a sample of 689 non-clinical and 309 clinical participants and found this measurement had good acceptability, internal reliability, test-retest reliability and convergent validity; it had moderate correlations with the Schwartz Outcome Scale and Symptom Check List-90, which showed an acceptable concurrent validity. Specifically, we explored the cut-off line of clinical criterion and found a g factor plus three-factor solution better than original four-domain model in Chinese context. The CORE-OM is a valid tool with referenced cut-offs to measure clinical outcomes, which can bridge the gap in routine clinical evaluation in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mannosylxylarinolide (1), a new 3,4-seco-ergostane-type steroidal saponin featuring a β-d-mannose moiety, was isolated from the culture of the endophytic fungus Xylaria sp. that had been isolated from an ornamental plant of Hoya sp. The gross structure was determined by spectroscopic data, and the absolute configuration of the new 3,4-seco-ergostane-type steroidal saponin (1) was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adsorption–desorption processes of pymetrozine were investigated in three cultivated soils in China through a batch method. Pymetrozine was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). At a relatively low temperature, the adsorption of pymetrozine improved with increasing organic matter content, and the Freundlich model precisely illustrates the adsorption isotherms. The adsorption of pymetrozine was classified as physical, considering that the Gibbs free energy change values of this process in the three soils ranged from –21.195 kJ/mol to –23.956 kJ/mol. The ΔH value was –37.236 kJ/mol for soil A, –13.723 kJ/mol for soil B, and –9.154 kJ/mol for soil C, suggesting that the major interaction in the adsorption involved hydrogen bonds and that the adsorption of pymtrozine in the three soils was exothermic. Soil C was shown to have the highest hysteresis among the samples. The hysteresis was enhanced at high temperatures for soil B and soil C but reduced for soil A. Pymetrozine adsorption increased with decreasing temperature, suggesting that pymetrozine may infiltrate groundwater at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We evaluated the epidemiological features and various inflammatory markers in hospitalized children with influenza virus infection in China. Methods: The real-time RT-PCR assay was performed for detection and genotyping of influenza A and B virus. Th1/Th2 cytokines, WBC, and CRP were determined in influenza virus positive children. Results: H1N1 and Yamagata were the prevalent genotypes of influenza A and B virus in Hangzhou, respectively. IL-2, IL-10, and CRP were significantly increased and IFN-γ was decreased in children with severe Influenza A virus infection, and TNF-α and IFN-γ levels were found to be significantly lower in children with severe Influenza B virus infection. Conclusion: Increased IL-2, IL-10, and CRP with decreased IFN-γ may indicate a severe influenza A virus infection, and decreased TNF-α and IFN-γ may indicate a severe influenza B virus infection in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elodea nuttallii (Planch.) H. St John is an invasive alien submerged macrophyte, which grows very fast and dominates in many Chinese waters. Bellamya aeruginosa (Reeve) is a widely distributed benthonic organism in China. This snail species rarely grazes submerged macrophytes and may promote their growth by feeding on epiphyte and phytoplankton. The above two species can commonly be found together in nature waters and their interaction may promote the growth of both species, which could disturb the ecological balance. In this paper, effects of different densities of B. aeruginosa at two different nutrient stages on water quality and the growth of E. nuttallii were studied. The results showed that the growth rates (GRs) of E. nuttallii were not significantly affected by different B. aeruginosa densities in the low nutrient (LN) stage. However, in the high nutrient (HN) stage, the GRs of the aboveground parts of E. nuttallii in the high density (HD) groups were considerably higher than the control (CK) and low density (LD) groups. The water chlorophyll (Chl) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) contents increased substantially with increasing B. aeruginosa density in the LN stage, while the Chl and NO3-N contents in the LD groups were significantly higher than in the HD and CK groups in the HN stage. The results of this paper indicated that B. aeruginosa could promote the growth of E. nuttallii by reducing the Chl contents in the water in high-nutrient environment rather than in low-nutrient environment, which highlighted that B. aeruginosa may strengthen the invisibility of E. nuttallii in eutrophic water caused by human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides new empirical evidence on the patterns of firm entry across sectors and space. Based on Pavitt's four manufacturing industry categories—supplier-dominated, scale-intensive, specialized suppliers, and knowledge-based—we use China's firm-level database, covering all manufacturing firms with sales above 5 million RMB from 1998 to 2008, to investigate the relation between spatial patterns of new entry firms and industrial structure change and firm heterogeneity. Based on our analysis, there are three key findings. First, industrial structure change plays an important role in influencing the sectoral pattern of new firm entry. Second, the transformation from a supplier-dominated industry to a scale-intensive industry from 1998 to 2008 in China has largely influenced spatial patterns of new entry firms (mainly spatial agglomeration and entry similarity between regions). Third, the heterogeneity of firms (mainly firm ownership, firm size, and technological relatedness) affected the location choice of new entry firms. Based on our findings, we conclude that the importance of industrial structure change and the heterogeneity of firms in revealing the spatial pattern of new entry firms should receive more attention. Key Words: China, firm entry, firm heterogeneity, industrial structure change, sectoral and spatial pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical investigation on the roots of Swietenia macrophylla yielded one new pharagmalin-type limonoid named 2-dehydroxyl-swietephragmin C (1) and one new xanthone, 1,5-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-6′,6′-dimethyl-2H-pyrano[2′,3′:3,2]xanthone (2), in addition to three known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were unambiguously determined by comprehensive spectroscopic methods (NMR, UV, IR, MS), as well as by comparison with the reported data in the literature. Xanthones were reported from Swietenia genus for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface water is the main source of water for human life and production. The quality of water affects living conditions and the overall health of people. Ecological protection and restoration engineering technology, combining ecological revetment and an ecological floating bed, is applied to a selected shallow beach experimentation area of a reservoir water source area in Northeast China. According to local conditions, the ecological revetment plants were identified as Goosegrass, sedges, and water grasses, and other local species of Polygonum hydropiper bagen, reeds, and bulrushes were identified as ecological floating bed plants. Regular monitoring of water quality in the experimentation area and a control area showed that the ecological protection and restoration technology can effectively reduce the concentrations of BOD5 (five day biochemical oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), TN, NH3-N, NO3−-N, TP, TDP, Mn, Zn, Fe, Pb, total coliforms, and other indicators of surface water in the experimentation area. The BOD5, COD, Max TN, NH3-N, NO3−-N, TP, and TDP reduction rates were 84.76%, 57.14%, 86.76%, 83.78%, 89.26%, 94.02%, and 95.89%, respectively, with the implementation of water pollution prevention and the purifying shoal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the linkage relationships between the economic cycle and the domestic tourism cycle in Mainland China and Taiwan. The Markov-switching vector autoregressive (MS-VAR) model is used to test the relationship between periodic variables. The results show that the domestic tourism cycle and the economic cycle of Mainland China have a reverse fluctuating trend and that in Taiwan, the domestic tourism cycle is synchronized with the economic cycle. Results support that the linkage relationships between the economic cycle and the domestic tourism cycle are different in two economies which has fundamental difference in the development stage and economic institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monolepta hieroglyphica (Motschulsky, 1858) is a major pest of potato, maize, cotton and sorghum in China. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of M. hieroglyphica. This mitogenome was 15,761 bp long and encoded 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs) and two ribosomal RNA unit genes (rRNAs). Gene order was conserved and identical to most other previously sequenced Galerucinae Most PCGs of M. hieroglyphica have the conventional start codons ATN (six ATT, five ATG and one ATC), with the exception of nad1 (TTG). Except for three genes (cox1, nad4 and nad5) end with the incomplete stop codon T––, all other PCGs terminated with the stop codon TAA or TAG. The whole mitogenome exhibited heavy AT nucleotide bias (80.0%). Phylogenetic analysis positioned M. hieroglyphica in a well-supported clade within the subfamily Galerucinae with Monolepta occifluvis, Monolepta sp. and Paleosepharia posticata. These results provided an important basis for further studies on mitochondrial genome and phylogenetics of Galerucinae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic signalling is the most important form of communication in anuran amphibians. Here we recorded and analysed the calls of 18 male Guenther's frogs (Hylarana guentheri) from the wild during the breeding season. The advertisement calls of H. guentheri were composed of from a single note to five notes, with three-note calls the most recorded. All individuals produced calls around 600 Hz but calls ranged from 470 to 2600 Hz. Comparing the differences between individuals calls, we found within-male coefficients of variation (CVw) of call intensity, the fundamental frequency, the first formant, the second formant, the third formant and the fourth formant were static (less than 5% variation), whereas those of note duration, call duration, call interval, numbers of pulses and dominant frequency were dynamic (larger than 15% variation). Comparisons of the call characteristics of H. guentheri in this study with other studies from China, Singapore and Vietnam found call characteristics varied greatly between the five different locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoking has been associated with depression in the general population. Whether passive smoking is also associated with postpartum depression (PPD) is uncertain. From 2010 to 2012, we recruited 8,842 pregnant women in Tianjin, China. The mainland Chinese version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to evaluate postpartum depressive symptoms after birth, with a score of >9 defining PPD. Data were collected using specially designed questionnaires or data from the electronic database of Tianjin Maternal and Child Health Information System. Odds ratios (OR) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CI) were obtained for the association of smoking status with PPD using binary logistic regression. Passive smoke exposure rates before and during pregnancy were 40.9 percent and 52.1 percent, respectively. A total of 8.5% (n = 747) of participants had PPD. Compared with those not exposed, women passively exposed to smoke before and during pregnancy had higher odds of PPD (before pregnancy: OR: 1.24, 95 percent CI: 1.03-1.50; during pregnancy: OR: 1.43, 95 percent CI: 1.16-1.77) after adjustment for confounding factors. Passive smoking before and during pregnancy were associated with PPD in Chinese women. Reducing passive smoke exposure may reduce PPD in Chinese women; further longitudinal studies are warranted to replicate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The street networks and the urban morphology are assumed to mutually influence each other. Via space syntax, this paper focuses on structural features and evolutionary guidelines of the street network in old Beijing city to examine what changes and what remains. The conclusions are as follows: (1) the deep-layer topological relationship of the street network can also clearly reveal the corresponding political, economic and cultural characteristics; (2) old Beijing city developed its grid-like street network over the past several centuries, which shows a good flexibility and continuity, but also with a long period of traffic pressure in history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male plants and fertile populations ofAscidiota blepharophyllaC.Massal. from Wanglang National Nature Reserve of Sichuan Province in China have been discovered recently. Here we present a description and illustrations of the androecia and sporophytes, and comment on the conservation status of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study aims to examine the effect of short-term changes in the concentration of particulate matter of diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) and ≤10 µm (PM10) on pediatric hospital admissions for pneumonia in Jinan, China. It explores confoundings factors of weather, season, and chemical pollutants. Information on pediatric hospital admissions for pneumonia in 2014 was extracted from the database of Jinan Qilu Hospital. The relative risk of pediatric hospital admissions for pneumonia was assessed using a case-crossover approach, controlling weather variables, day of the week, and seasonality. The single-pollutant model demonstrated that increased risk of pediatric hospital admissions for pneumonia was significantly associated with elevated PM2.5concentrations the day before hospital admission and elevated PM10concentrations 2 days before hospital admission. An increment of 10 μg/m3in PM2.5and PM10was correlated with a 6% (95% CI 1.02–-1.10) and 4% (95% CI 1.00–1.08) rise in number of admissions for pneumonia, respectively. In two pollutant models, PM2.5and PM10remained significant after inclusion of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen dioxide but not carbon monoxide. This study demonstrated that short-term exposure to atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5/PM10) may be an important determinant of pediatric hospital admissions for pneumonia in Jinan, China. Implications: This study demonstrated that short-term exposure to atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5/PM10) may be an important determinant of pediatric hospital admissions for pneumonia in Jinan, China, and suggested the relevance of pollutant exposure levels and their effects. As a specific group, children are sensitive to airborne particulate matter. This study estimated the short-term effects attribute to other air pollutants to provide references for relevant studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the drug addiction process between Chinese heroin- and methamphetamine (MA)-dependent users via a modified 4-stage addiction model (experimentation, occasional use, regular use, and compulsive use).Methods: A descriptive study was conducted among 683 eligible participants. In the statistical analysis, we selected 340 heroin- and 295 MA-dependent users without illicit drug use prior to onset of heroin or MA use.Results: The addiction process of heroin-dependent users was shorter than that of MA-dependent users, with shorter transitions from the onset of drug-use to the first drug craving (19.5 vs. 50.0 days), regular use (30.0 vs. 60.0 days), and compulsive use (50.0 vs. 85.0 days). However, no significant differences in the addiction process were observed in frequency of drug administration, except that heroin users reported more administrations of the drug (20.0 vs. 15.0) before progressing to the stage of compulsive drug use. A larger proportion of regular heroin users progressed to use illicit drugs recklessly than did MA users. Most heroin and MA users reported psychological dependence as their primary motivation for compulsive drug use, but more heroin users selected uncomfortable symptoms upon ceasing drug use as further reason to continue.Conclusion: Our results suggest that typical heroin and MA users may experience a similar four-stage addiction process, but MA users might undergo a longer addiction process (in days). More research is necessary to further explore factors influencing the drug addiction process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Pinus densiflora var. zhangwuensis S.J.Zhang, C.X.Li & X.Y.Yuan, a tree species with promising afforestation potential in northern China. Here, we assembled and annotated the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of P. densiflora var. zhangwuensis using the Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology. The cp genome was 119,725 bp in length, exhibiting a typical quadripartite structure with a large single-copy (LSC: 65,552 bp) and a small single-copy (SSC: 53,183 bp) separated by a pair of inverted repeats regions (IRA and IRB: each of 495 bp) region. The overall GC content is 37.3%. The genome was predicted to encode 112 distinct genes, including 72 protein-coding, 36 tRNA, and four rRNA genes. Maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic for cp genome sequences of 18 Pinaceae species revealed that P. densiflora var. zhangwuensis was closely related to Pinus sylvestris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The allocation of investment dollars between R&D (high-risk investments) and capital expenditure (low-risk investments), as a reflection of managers' inclination to take risks, is an important issue in the field of corporate governance and corporate finance because of the different interests and responsibility orientations of key stakeholders. Based on the endogeneity of board governance and managerial risk taking, this article discusses the relationship between board governance and managerial risk taking using Instrumental Variables and Generalized Method of Moments. This article also discusses the effects of board governance on managerial risk taking in the long-term dynamic perspective. The results show that board governances have positive effects on managerial risk taking; that is, board governance would lead to higher investment in R&D expenditures and lower investment in capital expenditures, not only in the current year, but also over multiple years. This evidence suggests that effective board governance plays a significant role in promoting firm innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a panel data set for China's commercial banks between 1998 and 2007, we investigate the relation between a bank's nontraditional income ratio and its operational and financial characteristics after controlling for ownership type, government policy changes, and cross-regional institutional environment differences. We find that banks with narrow net interest margins have stronger incentives to develop nontraditional activities. Moreover, banks located in regions with less local government intervention have fewer nontraditional banking activities. We find evidence that the ownership type of the bank has some influence on the pursuit of nontraditional activities. Nontraditional income has not led to improved bank profitability and we present some conjectures on why this is so. In contrast to the results reported in prior research, we find that the financial performance of the big-four state-owned banks is not inferior to the performance of other banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop and validate the Simplified Chinese Version of the Quality of Life Questionnaire for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (the QLQ-HCC18). It was developed by the strict translation procedure of EORTC guidelines, and the psychometrics were evaluated on a sample of 114 patients. The internal consistency Cronbach's α were greater than 0.60 for all domains (exception of Jaundice 0.38), and all test–retest reliability coefficients were greater than 0.80. Four out of eight domains had statistically significant changes with effect size standardized response mean (SRM) ranging from 0.31 to 0.73. The Simplified Chinese version of QLQ-HCC18 demonstrates good validity, reliability, and responsiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although staffs in medical colleges have traditionally been characterized as a stressed group of people, there are no specific studies assessing burnout and the relationship to quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate job-related burnout and the relationship to QOL among medical college staff in mainland China. Some 360 medical college staffs from 15 schools and departments were enrolled in the study. The Chinese Teachers’ Burnout Inventory (TBI) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life—brief Chinese version were used. Data on sociodemographic, work-related, and health-related factors were also collected. Multiple stepwise regression analysis was used to identify significant factors related to the 3 domain scores of the TBI. Structural equation modeling was performed to test the correlation between job-related burnout and QOL. The most significant and common predictors of burnout prevention were a love of the teaching profession and work acknowledgment from a direct supervisor. Job-related burnout had a direct negative effect on QOL. Corresponding health policies and suggestions could be developed to prevent job-related burnout and improve QOL. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]